Search Results (26)

This study examines the positioning of biblical narratives within international relations scholarship, with particular emphasis on their function as cultural resources shaping identity, geopolitical discourse, and soft power dynamics. Although religion has gained increasing recognition within international relations, the extent to which scriptural narratives are systematically integrated into analytical frameworks remains insufficiently defined. To address this issue, the study employs a mixed-methods research design that combines a systematic literature review with bibliometric analysis. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases through a structured query linking biblical terminology to diplomacy, geopolitics, and religion–politics interactions, and were analyzed using the Bibliometrix package in R. The analysis draws on two datasets comprising 135 publications from Scopus and 88 from Web of Science, spanning 1989 to 2026. The findings indicate that scholarship examining biblical narratives in international relations is moderately developed and interdisciplinary, yet remains fragmented, with geopolitical themes predominating. Biblical narratives are consistently present but are primarily embedded within broader analytical categories such as identity, discourse, and legitimacy, rather than being treated as central variables. The results further suggest that religious content is often incorporated in indirect or implicit forms, reflecting a broader tendency to approach religion as a contextual rather than a constitutive element. Overall, the findings indicate that biblical narratives function primarily as interpretive and symbolic frameworks in international relations, while their analytical potential remains only partially developed, underscoring the need for more systematic integration of cultural and religious analysis in the study of global politics. Full article

Conventional food security strategies have largely been formulated under assumptions of population growth, abundant agricultural labor, and stable global trade. However, many advanced economies—particularly in East Asia—are entering a shrinking-society context characterized by population decline, rapid aging, and regional depopulation. This paper argues that demographic shrinkage should be understood not as a peripheral trend but as a landscape-level structural pressure that destabilizes incumbent agri-food systems. Drawing on the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), the study conceptualizes demographic shrinkage as a cumulative force that erodes the labor base, productive capacity, and institutional stability of food systems, thereby weakening regime path dependence. Building on this framework, it advances Food Security 3.0 as a theory-driven contribution to sustainability research. Food Security 3.0 reconceptualizes food security under shrinkage conditions as a problem of systemic resilience rather than production expansion or import diversification, and theorizes food technology—including smart and automated agriculture, alternative proteins, and AI-enabled supply chains—as transitional infrastructure enabling regime reconfiguration under structural constraints. By integrating demographic change, socio-technical transitions, and governance, the study reframes food security as a question of resilience-oriented system design, strategic self-reliance, and integrated food-system governance. While anchored in the East Asian experience, the framework offers theoretical and policy-relevant insights for shrinking societies confronting overlapping demographic, climatic, and geopolitical pressures. Full article

Introduction: A woman’s health and her child’s development are greatly affected by the responsiveness and support of the health system throughout the postpartum period. While various scholars have analysed the qualities of continuity of care and their effects during that phase, this article aims to reveal women’s experiences of postpartum care by analysing the impact of continuity of care through home visiting (HVCoC) versus standard care. Methods: Semi-structured interviews have been conducted in a qualitative study with 19 mothers of children under 1 year of age, who meet at least one criterion, such as living in poverty, being under 18 while giving birth, lacking permanent housing, residing in crisis centres due to domestic violence, or giving birth for the first time. All participants of the study have received either standard care or continuity of care through home visiting within the HVCoC model project. Results: The study has shown that women’s postpartum care experiences depend on the service delivery model. The standard care model, compared with the HVCoC model, has led to negative experiences for women across three dimensions: Relational, informational, and management continuity of care. Conclusions: While existing research has concluded that adequate postpartum support is related to the continuity of care model, this study’s findings reveal how different care organisation models affect the value women receive from their healthcare. Decision makers should develop postnatal care services that ensure continuity of care throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period by providing access to the same healthcare specialist for ongoing care. Full article

Urban green infrastructure is increasingly recognized as a core component of urban sustainability, providing regulating ecosystem services (ES) that support climate resilience, environmental quality, and long-term urban livability. However, empirical evidence on the long-term stability of ecosystem services (ES) in rapidly urbanizing cities remains limited. Despite widespread assumptions that urbanization inevitably leads to irreversible ecological decline, few studies have quantitatively examined whether ES can persist, or even recover, over multi-decadal time horizons relevant to sustainable urban development. This study investigates the long-term trajectories of eight urban ES in Seoul, South Korea, across nearly five decades (1978–2025) and eight congressional districts, providing one of the longest temporal assessments of urban ES in East Asia. Using i-Tree Canopy and high-resolution aerial imagery across four benchmark years (1978, 1989, 2010, 2025), this study quantified standardized indicators for carbon sequestration (CSeq), avoided runoff (AVRO), and removal of six atmospheric pollutants (O₃, NO₂, SO₂, CO, PM₁₀, PM_2.5). Paired-sample t-tests and Cohen’s dz (effect size) were used to assess within-district temporal shifts and the magnitude of ecological change. Results reveal a pronounced period of early ecological stress during rapid industrialization (1978–1989), with negative standardized effect sizes across all services (dz between −0.65 and −0.72). However, these early losses were not sustained. Structural services such as CSeq and AVRO exhibited long-term functional stability, with effect sizes converging toward zero and the 1978–2025 change in CSeq showing no statistical difference (p = 0.784). Pollutant removal services followed an early-decline–followed-by-recovery trajectory, exemplified by CO removal shifting from a large early decline (dz = −0.72) to a modest positive effect in later decades dz = 0.31). These findings indicate that Seoul’s sustained urban greening and environmental policies were effective in preventing further deterioration and maintaining core ecological functions, even if they produced stabilization rather than significant long-term gains in ES delivery. Full article

This paper addresses the knowledge gap on the beginning of the history of contact with extraterrestrial intelligent beings in international astronautics. In the mid-1950s, the world’s space law practitioner, Andrew G. Haley, proposed the concept of Metalaw, the law governing interactions between all beings in the Universe, as he represented the American Rocket Society in the International Astronautical Congress, the single largest gathering of space-faring nations. Haley, with experience in radio communications law dating back to the 1930s, played a pivotal role in pushing for the international allocation of radio frequencies in space. Haley was, too, an agile mediator with the Soviet Union and its bloc, acting across various organizations and forums. This article, in contextualizing Haley’s introduction of Metalaw, shows how the onset of the Space Age coincided with the emergence of a contact scenario involving extraterrestrial intelligence enabled by the corresponding techno-scientific capabilities of the time. It demonstrates how extraterrestrial intelligence discursively addressed outer space regulation as a bone of contention between the two geopolitically divided parts, a regulation upon which the US’s global satellite system would depend. The analysis in this article recounts the birth of the Metalaw concept at the intersection of outer space imaginary, law, international organizations, science and technology, diplomacy, the Space Race, the Cold War, and radio astronomy’s Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Full article

Complications are frequent in cancer patients and contribute to adverse outcomes and higher healthcare costs, underscoring the need for earlier identification and prediction. This study evaluated the feasibility of using passively generated smartphone sensor data to explore early-warning signals of complications and symptom worsening during cancer treatment. A total of 108 patients were continuously monitored using accelerometer, GPS, and screen on/off data collected through the LAIMA application, while symptoms of depression, fatigue, and nausea were assessed every two weeks and complications were confirmed during clinic visits or emergency presentations. Smartphone data streams were aggregated into variables describing activity and sociability patterns. Machine learning models, including Decision Tree, Extreme Gradient Boosting, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Support Vector Machine, were used for complication prediction, and time-series models such as Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average, Holt–Winters, TBATS, Long Short-Term Memory neural network, and General Regression Neural Network were applied to identify early behavioral changes preceding symptom reports. In this exploratory analysis, the ensemble model demonstrated high sensitivity (89%) for identifying complication events. Smartphone-derived behavioral indicators enabled earlier detection of depression, fatigue, and vomiting by about nine days in a subset of patients. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of passive smartphone sensor data as exploratory early-warning signals, warranting validation in larger cohorts. Full article

The analysis in this study covers how power imbalance, alliance cohesion, diplomatic and media framing, and big data analytics affect scaling up in the conflict in a multipolar world. This research applies the Constructivist International Relations Theory to examine survey data of 250 international relations experts, policymakers, and analysts using Survey Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) via SMART-PLS. Power imbalance and the way the media frames the situation are found to lead to an escalation of conflicts, but strong alliance cohesion, diplomatic effort, and big data analytics can mitigate the risk of the escalation. Strategic diplomacy, media regulation, and real-time data monitoring have thus shown their capacity to prevent conflict. These contribute to conflict studies by incorporating political IR models, data science knowledge, and policy advice on global security governance. This means they can support the prediction and prevention of conflicts by means of diplomatic transparency, ethical media practice, and AI early warning systems. This study is limited by the use of self-reported data; however, the results of this study indicate that this topic is under-explored in cultural and geopolitical terms. The results help inform policymakers and security entities on ways to address conflict resolution as a matter of discretion and from a multidimensional perspective. Survey Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) via SMART-PLS is a technique used for analyzing structural relationships between measured variables and latent constructs, providing valuable insights into complex models. Survey Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) via SMART-PLS is a technique used for analyzing structural relationships between measured variables and latent constructs, providing valuable insights into complex models. Full article

This paper introduces a novel hybrid forecasting model for tourism demand that combines Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) and Transformer networks, addressing the challenge of capturing both short-term fluctuations and long-term trends in complex tourism data. Unlike traditional models, such as ARIMA, which often struggle with nonlinear patterns, our hybrid approach leverages the sequential learning capabilities of BiLSTM and the self-attention mechanism of the Transformer to effectively model intricate temporal dependencies. Our experiments on Thailand’s domestic tourism data showed that the hybrid model outperformed traditional methods and standalone deep learning models, where it achieved a 12% reduction in the RMSE, a 15% reduction in the MAE, and a 10% increase in the $R^2$. This improved accuracy offers significant practical benefits for sustainable tourism, enabling policymakers and tourism managers to optimize resource allocation, anticipate peak season demand, and develop strategies to mitigate over-tourism. The model’s robustness and adaptability make it a valuable tool for data-driven decision-making in the tourism sector. Full article

This study presents an innovative financial model that integrates the debt-for-climate swap mechanism with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, specifically designed to support Africa’s transition to clean energy. The model connects debt-for-climate swaps with the creation of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs), offering mutual benefits for both debtor and creditor nations. This approach aims to improve the debt sustainability of African countries while strengthening their climate resilience by combining Article 6 of the Paris Agreement with Official Development Assistance (ODA). Additionally, this model aligns with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Furthermore, the study proposes a restructuring of existing environmental safeguards by incorporating the “Do No Significant Harm” (DNSH) criteria and environmental contribution indicators to ensure alignment with the minimum safeguards mandated by Article 6 and international development standards. Through quantitative analysis, our findings indicate that the proposed debt-for-climate swap model could significantly contribute to Africa’s clean energy transition, address the region’s external debt challenges, and enhance climate resilience. Full article

Traditional news outlets, such as newspapers and television, are no longer major sources of news. These media channels have been replaced by social platforms, which have increased in value as information distributors. This change in communication is an underlying reason for the election fraud controversies that occurred in the United States and South Korea, which hold high standards of democracy, during similar periods. This study investigates a model for sharing political disputes over social networks, especially Twitter, and illustrates the influence of political polarization. This study examines Twitter content around the presidential elections in the United States and South Korea in 2020 and 2022, respectively. It applies semantic network analysis and structural topic modeling to describe and compare the dynamics of online discourse on the issue of election fraud. The results show that online spaces such as Twitter serve as public spheres for discussion among active political participants. Social networks are key settings for forming and spreading election fraud controversies in the United States and South Korea, with differences in content. In addition, the study applies large-volume text data and new analytical methods such as the structural topic model to examine the in-depth relationships among political issues in cyberspace. Full article

Addressing climate change requires innovative, collective action and robust international collaboration. Through joint efforts, nations can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, pioneer sustainable technologies, and implement effective adaptation measures. Science diplomacy and knowledge sharing hold the potential to bolster global stability and peace by directly confronting climate change challenges. Therefore, it becomes imperative to evaluate a country’s alignment of its scientific knowledge system (SKS) with international guidelines. This study delineates the global scientific discourse on climate change and juxtaposes the alignment between an individual nation’s research endeavors and United Nations resolutions concerning climate change and sustainable development. Our methodology integrates data extraction from scientific research databases with advanced textual analysis tools, highlighting this study’s unique focus on the intersection of climate change and UN resolutions. To deliver an empirical analysis, we leveraged complex network theory and advanced text-processing techniques. Our findings demonstrate the trajectory of global scientific output related to these themes, segmented by countries and coupled with CO₂ emissions data, key disciplines, and collaboration networks. These insights are instrumental for leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders, highlighting areas of convergence and divergence in national research initiatives essential for achieving global climate goals. Such knowledge is strategically useful for crafting purpose-driven public policies and honoring enduring multilateral pledges to address the climate crisis proactively. Full article

Governments face challenges in resolving complex health and social policy conflicts, such as the community water fluoridation (CWF) impasse in Calgary. Track Two diplomacy, informal dialogues facilitated by an impartial third party, is proposed to address these issues amid epistemic conflict and declining public trust in fellow citizens, science, and government. This study examined Track Two diplomacy’s application in Calgary’s CWF policy conflict. Collaborating with policymakers and community partners, the research team explored a Track Two–CWF process and conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with policymakers, scholars, practitioners, observers, and civil society representatives. Data interpretation explored contextual factors, conflict transformation potential, and design features for a Track Two process. A conflict map revealed factors contributing to impasse: the polarizing nature of a binary policy question on fluoridation; disciplinary silos; failed public engagement; societal populism; societal lack of disposition to dialogue; individual factors (adverse impact of conflict on stakeholders, adherence to extreme positions, issue fatigue, apathy, and lack of humility); together with policy-making factors (perceived lack of leadership, lack of forum to dialogue, polarization and silos). Participants suggested reframing the issue as nonbinary, involving a skilled facilitator, convening academics, and considering multiple dialogue tracks for a Track Two process. The first theory of change would focus on personal attitudes, relationships, and culture. Participants expressed cautious optimism about Track Two diplomacy’s potential. Track Two diplomacy offers a promising approach to reframe intractable public health policy conflicts by moving stakeholders from adversarial positions to jointly assessing and solving problems. Further empirical evidence is needed to test the suggested process. Full article

This study analyzes the alignment between (1) the scientific publications generated within a nation-state, and (2) the United Nations resolutions on climate change research and sustainable development guidelines to which that nation-state is a signatory. Starting with a characterization of Chile’s modern scientific journal output using extensive scientometrics databases, this work contrasts the resulting Chilean analysis with United Nations (UN) resolutions generated at the fifth UN Environment Assembly held in Nairobi in March of 2022. Chile is an interesting choice because the most recent political election installed an environmentally progressive president who has described his administration as the “first ecological government in the history of Chile”. Chile also held a constitutional referendum shortly after the presidential election that would have replaced the existing constitution from 1980 with a more progressive constitution designed to shift the country towards expanded social and environmental rights. The study covers different dimensions and scales, from the interaction of authors, institutions, and disciplines, to the current conditions regarding authors’ gender and the co-author inertia existing in every niche of scientific publication in Chile. The results and recommendations presented in this paper are intended to assist in developing policies for improved scientific–technical knowledge management at the national level. Full article

This paper investigates the collaborative and benefit-sharing approaches to conflict management in the management of cross-border water resources for the sustainable development of the Kabul River Basin riparian states of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The study offers an understanding of water management strategies concerning peace, progress and development, and sustainability. Using an interpretative social science approach, this paper investigates the impacts of water scarcity and stress, hydro-politics, water diplomacy, and water issues among co-riparian countries. It also investigates how cross-border river management impacts river water sustainability and sustainable cross-border water management strategies. The paper finds that the most significant factor in resolving and managing cross-border water disputes is to employ a collective and combined method of water management based on cooperation and benefit-sharing. This is in addition to providing an immediate cost-effective benefit of improving water supply, hydroelectric generation, and agricultural production, as well as future communal and monetary benefits for the public who reside and work the river basin. The paper proposes establishing a combined cross-border basin authority for both Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to effectively realize the benefits of the Kabul River Basin. Full article

This paper develops a baseline and definition for informal disaster diplomacy in order to fill in an identified gap in the existing research. The process adopted is a review of the concept of informality, the application of informality to diplomacy, and the application of informality to disasters and disaster science. The two applications of informality are then combined to outline an informal disaster diplomacy as a conceptual contribution to studies where processes of conflict, peace, and disasters interact. Adding informality into disaster diplomacy provides originality and significance as it has not hitherto been fully examined in this context. This exploration results in insights into disaster, peace, and conflict research through two main contributions. First, the paper recognises that informal disaster diplomacy has frequently been present in disaster diplomacy analyses, but has rarely been explicitly presented, accepted, described, theorised, or analysed. Second, by explaining the presence of and contributions from informality, the discussion assists in re-balancing much of disaster diplomacy research with depth from conflict research, peace research, international relations, and political science. Full article